[PyrNet-L] CHAT: Pyr movies

[MagEBroD@aol.com]

   Well I just got done renting and watching my fifth movie with a Great
Pyrenees in it. This one was "SERVANTS OF THE TWILIGHT".  I ended up very glad
I rented it instead of buying it!!  This is not one I will be adding to my
collection of Pyr movies I own.  Written by Dean Koontz and a suspense
thriller with a dark mood.  The plot revolves around the rememberings of a
private detective that is in a psychiatric ward under observation.  He has
been working on a case of a young boy, the son of an unmarried woman (love
interest for the P.I.).  A religious group (cult) enters the picture in the
beginning of the movie. It is led by a woman who seems to be able to get her
followers to do her bidding. Her bidding is to kill the young boy who she says
is the Anti-Christ. The movie is about them trying to kill him and the P.I.'s
efforts to protect them.  The boy has a dog - a Great Pyrenees named Brandy.
There is one scene where the boy plays with Star Wars action figures with the
dog who the boy calls Chewbacca. This was the cutest scene in the movie, I
think. Pyr-wise the movie goes downhill from there. Soon afterwards the Pyr is
the victim of the cult's first violent act centering on the boy. The dog's is
found with his head cut off.  (Not shown, thank God!!)  After the P.I. takes
the case he takes the boy to the dog pound to get another dog and they come
back with an identical dog that the boy wants to call Brandy II, but p names
it Chewbacca as his mom suggests.  If you don't like these dark kinds of
suspense thrillers, then I'd pass on this one.  As a Pyr lover it will leave
you dissatisfied. I won't reveal the rest of the plot and spoil it for those
who may want to watch it. 
   The Great Pyrenees who played both the part of the original dog Brandy and
dog Chewbacca, was a dog named Thor and the dog wrangler was Brian McMillian.
Nothing exciting or to rave about about the dog's behavior.  Often I find
myself a bit dissatisfied with how the pyrs in movies act.  While they look
impressive and gorgeous, they somehow seem flat.  I don't know if it is the
medium or the dog or the trainer. Other dogs in movies come across better
oftentimes.  It even worries me a bit:  If I train Albert too much will he
lose that endearing happy-go-lucky clown-of -the-litter quality that always
makes us so fast to forgive and laugh at whatever mischief he gets into??
Albert has a fan club that loves him dearly because he IS such a clown, goofy
and happy, and yet so sweet.  After watching this movie I need to hear from
some of you that have well-trained pyrs that are still real clowns and make
you laugh at them and once in a while are less than perfect, but still PYR-
fect!! I remember some funny stories of things that happened at shows...
   While I don't love these kinds of movies we do watch them occasionally.
Dean Koontz writes stories along the lines of Stephen King, I'd say.  My
personal Dean Koontz favorite is an irreverent story "SANTA'S TWIN" that
really cracks me up!! I'll write a separate post on it next.

:)  &  :)````   (me grinning & Albert grinning & drooling!)

Janice Vocke
MagEBroD@aol.com
Shelton, WA.